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TORTRICIDAE | Olethreutinae | Eucosmini
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49.256 Epinotia cinereana (Grey Aspen Bell)
ws: 12-17mm; Jul-Aug; aspen (Populus tremula); status uncertain as previously considered conspecific with E.nisella
MBGBI5.2 distinguishes nisella as feeding on Salix species and cinereana as feeding on Populus species; other sources have those feeding on Populus nigra as nisella with only those feeding on Populus tremula as cinereana.
Synonym: Evetria cinereana (Pierce & Metcalfe)
MBGBI5.2 distinguishes nisella as feeding on Salix species and cinereana as feeding on Populus species; other sources have those feeding on Populus nigra as nisella with only those feeding on Populus tremula as cinereana.
Synonym: Evetria cinereana (Pierce & Metcalfe)
Epinotia cinereana §1 male
ID: As I currently understand it the only reliable means of separating E.cinereana from E.nisella is in the number of cornuti in the male aedeagus. Females cannot be identified reliably. The images presented here look like E.cinereana, but are actually E.nisella f.cinereana
Similar to E.nisella, generally grey with black streaks, but lacks the solid black or reddish medio-dorsal blotch shown by E.nisella. Until the current revision I had considered all specimens formerly fitting the description of E.nisella f.cinerana to be E.cinereana; but it is clear that the males presented here have ~40 cornuti and so are likely to be E.nisella f.cinereana
Was considered conspecific with E.nisella (form cinereana) by Bradley (BTM) with the comment that there were no genital differences - however genital differences had previously been described by Pierce & Metcalfe who regarded cinereana as a separate species - a status to which it has recently been restored.
Male genitalia: Aedeagus with 18-20 cornuti (40-50 in E.nisella) Pierce and Metcalfe also give a break in the row of spines on the outer edge of the sacculus in E.nisella vs spines continuous in E.cinereana - but this distinction does not seem to be valid.
Female genitalia: According to MBGBI5.2 the signa of nisella are small and often asymmetrical in size, while those of cinereana are larger and symmetrical; and the ostial plate of cinereana shows a well-developed pair of parallel ridges which are absent or indistinct in nisella. The first of these distinctions is supported by images shown at Moth Dissection. The male cornuti are deciduous and may be found within the corpus bursae where they can be counted - presumably any count much>20, in a specimen that is either E.cinereana or E.nisella, will identify a female as E.nisella.
Similar to E.nisella, generally grey with black streaks, but lacks the solid black or reddish medio-dorsal blotch shown by E.nisella. Until the current revision I had considered all specimens formerly fitting the description of E.nisella f.cinerana to be E.cinereana; but it is clear that the males presented here have ~40 cornuti and so are likely to be E.nisella f.cinereana
Was considered conspecific with E.nisella (form cinereana) by Bradley (BTM) with the comment that there were no genital differences - however genital differences had previously been described by Pierce & Metcalfe who regarded cinereana as a separate species - a status to which it has recently been restored.
Male genitalia: Aedeagus with 18-20 cornuti (40-50 in E.nisella) Pierce and Metcalfe also give a break in the row of spines on the outer edge of the sacculus in E.nisella vs spines continuous in E.cinereana - but this distinction does not seem to be valid.
Female genitalia: According to MBGBI5.2 the signa of nisella are small and often asymmetrical in size, while those of cinereana are larger and symmetrical; and the ostial plate of cinereana shows a well-developed pair of parallel ridges which are absent or indistinct in nisella. The first of these distinctions is supported by images shown at Moth Dissection. The male cornuti are deciduous and may be found within the corpus bursae where they can be counted - presumably any count much>20, in a specimen that is either E.cinereana or E.nisella, will identify a female as E.nisella.
§1 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 10/08/2011; male; fw 6.9mm
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 14/09/2013
§3 Pound Wood, Essex; 27/08/2019; female
§4 Pound Wood, Essex; 13/08/2020; male; 6.2mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 14/09/2013
§3 Pound Wood, Essex; 27/08/2019; female
§4 Pound Wood, Essex; 13/08/2020; male; 6.2mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 30/12/2018 (§1-2) | §3 added 22/10/2019 | §4 added 07/02/2021 | text revised 05/11/2021
